Wes Streeting addresses ‘unbelievable volume’ of homophobic abuse he receives
Wes Streeting. (Getty)
Wes Streeting has spoken out about the “unbelievable volume” of homophobic abuse he’s faced online since becoming Britain’s defence secretary.
Streeting, who is gay, was appointed to Andy Burnham’s cabinet on 20 July after Keir Starmer’s resignation in July, becoming one of three out LGBTQ+ ministers in the new government.
Speaking at an event at the Edinburgh Fringe last week, Streeting said he believes some people “cannot cope with the idea” of a gay man overseeing the Ministry of Defence.
Streeting also addressed the significance of his appointment, saying it represents a dramatic change from the treatment LGBTQ+ people once faced within Britain’s armed forces.
“I am proud of the fact that in my lifetime we’ve gone from gay people not being allowed to serve in the military to a gay defence secretary,” he said, as per ITV News.
Streeting also recalled a gay colleague at the Ministry of Defence telling him during his first week on the job that having Britain’s first out gay defence secretary meant a great deal to people who remembered those “bad old days”.
The UK’s military “gay ban”, which was introduced in the ‘50s, remained in place until 2000, meaning out LGBTQ+ people were prohibited from serving in the British armed forces. The policy had a devastating impact on generations of LGBTQ+ service personnel, many of whom faced dismissal, investigations and discrimination because of their sexuality.
The Ministry of Defence has since formally acknowledged the harm caused by the ban and established the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme for former LGBTQ+ service personnel affected by the policy.
As such, Streeting’s appointment carries a particular symbolism. Just 26 years after the ban was lifted, an out gay man is responsible for the department overseeing Britain’s armed forces, including national security policy, military operations and the country’s nuclear deterrent.
His new role comes after almost two years as health secretary under Starmer. Streeting resigned from Starmer’s government in May after saying he had lost confidence in his leadership. During his time as health secretary, he was considered by some to be a controversial figure within the LGBTQ+ community, particularly over the government’s restrictions on puberty blockers for trans under-18s.
Streeting has recently returned from his first visit to Ukraine as defence secretary, where he met President Volodymyr Zelensky and discussed the UK’s support for Ukraine and European security.
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